Mizzou Gymnastics: “Really good.”

In beforehand of a really bully crowd of 2,342 — I honestly thought location were much fans connected manus than that — connected Sunday day astatine Mizzou Arena, nan no. 7 Missouri Tigers started their play disconnected impressively beardown against nan (RV) Iowa State Cyclones, showcasing extent up and down nan lineup successful nan 196.850—191.325 victory. If not for an unfortunate mates of oopsies connected beam nan Tigers would person been good connected their measurement to beating nan programme precocious play opening people of 197.150 group successful 2024. Alas, they settled for nan 2nd highest people successful nan state successful Week 0/1** and hit past year’s 196.700. **Just 20 teams took portion successful accepted meets this week; we’ll spot a afloat slate starting week 2

“I deliberation what’s truthful cool is that we person truthful overmuch extent successful our lineups,” elder Addi Lawrence said post-meet. “Even successful nan alternate position aliases successful nan extracurricular training positions, everyone has a changeable to beryllium successful nan lineup, and whoever’s time is that day. So it is conscionable truthful cool that we person truthful overmuch extent that we’re capable to put up awesome title routines.”

Great routines indeed. I cognize nan mini media contingent connected hand, arsenic good arsenic camera man (and chap Rock M’er) Dylan Heinrich, came distant thoroughly impressed pinch what we witnessed connected Sunday.

“I was really pleased,” caput coach Shannon Welker said of his team’s performance. “I thought we did a bully occupation tonight, particularly opening weekend… Really proud of a batch of nan things we were trying to accomplish, things we were trying to commencement pinch this year.”

An important point to retrieve earlier we footwear disconnected this recap is that successful nan caller NQS formula, having an disconnected week tin beryllium highly detrimental to your season. As I wrote successful this December 27 piece, each distant scores count successful nan caller system, which perchance spells problem for teams for illustration Iowa State, who had an… um… little than perfect commencement to nan season, and will beryllium thing to show arsenic Mizzou heads connected nan roadworthy successful week 2 to Lincoln.

“Obviously, arsenic you saw, not our champion capacity today. That’s decidedly not nan measurement you want to unfastened your season,” Iowa State caput coach Ashley Miles Greig said post-meet. “It is ace early, right? And aft a capacity for illustration that, successful a really large situation for this, like, caller staff, caller team, it could easy beryllium thing that becomes for illustration a antagonistic and a challenge, but I deliberation arsenic a unit my extremity is conscionable to get backmost successful there, talk astir it, onslaught it caput on, and conscionable beryllium like, Hey, we cognize that’s not who we are. We’re not going to put ourselves successful a hole. We’re going to reset and just, I think, travel retired adjacent week, because nan play goes, bam, bam, bam, bam.”

Let’s get into it.

For a squad who spent 2025 struggling for existent consistency connected vault, Sunday’s opening rotation presented a really bully starting constituent and featured 4 10.0 commencement worth vaults, and going into nan 2nd week of nan season, nan Tigers are tied pinch Utah for nan apical vault people successful nan country(!!!).

“We wanted to commencement stronger connected vault this year, and I deliberation we decidedly did that,” Shannon said. “I deliberation we had 4 10.0s successful there. I deliberation we’ll astir apt bounce astir betwixt 4 aliases 5 [each meet].”

Kennedy Griffin kicked things disconnected pinch a move Yurchenko Full, earning a 9.775 (started retired arsenic a 9.85 people and was changed) pinch conscionable a mini hop connected nan landing. Kaia Tanskanen followed pinch her caller Pike Front Half (10.0 SV) — I LOVE THIS VAULT! — earning a 9.80 pinch conscionable a mini hop successful spot connected nan landing earlier Railey Jackson, performing her caller Yurchenko 1.5, earned a monolithic 9.875, which gave her a stock of nan vault title.

“She’s been moving connected that vault for 3 years, and truthful we yet debuted that this year,” Shannon said.

Freshman Kimarra Echols followed pinch a ace coagulated 9.85 connected her Yurchenko Full, taking conscionable a mini hop backmost while showing disconnected awesome tallness and distance.

When asked aft nan meet astir Kimarra transitioning to a Yurchenko 1.5 — we saw her compete successful an earlier intrasquad and she made that YF look easy peasy— Shannon said, “I deliberation she’s physically capable, but we person a batch connected her sheet location too, and I deliberation you person to equilibrium that. It’s not conscionable astir that erstwhile she’s successful 3 aliases 4 events. It’s not conscionable 1 event, right? We person to power really overmuch we put connected her sheet astatine a time, too.”

Hannah Horton’s Yurchenko 1.5 looked fabulous successful nan air— her assemblage positioning is so, truthful bully — and earned her nan different half of nan vault title pinch a 9.875. And to adjacent retired nan rotation, Elise Tisler earned a coagulated 9.80 connected her Y 1.5, taking conscionable a mini hop guardant and possibly (per nan CGN Live Blog) was a spot piked successful nan air. After seeing ET do a Yurchenko Full for overmuch of past year, it was awesome to spot her modulation backmost to nan much difficult 10.0 SV vault, which she scored a 9.975 connected her sophomore play (at Towson).

On nan Iowa State side, nan Cyclones recorded 3 falls successful a statement (yikes), but vanished pinch 2 coagulated routines connected bars— a 9.725 from Kaia Bochow and a 9.750 successful nan anchor spot from Frederique Sgarbossa.

After One: Mizzou takes a commanding lead, 49.200 to 47.050.

Having a request to switch 4 of six bars competitors from a twelvemonth ago, group seemed to deliberation that it whitethorn beryllium a “down” twelvemonth for nan Tigers. Well, doubters beryllium damned, nan Tigers (likely) screamed triumphantly aft this rotation, arsenic they beryllium atop nan nationalist rankings (no. 2 Cal had a 49.275) aft Week 1.

The coolest point astir nan bars rotation, speech from coach Whitney Snowden’s outsized reactions and scoring a top-10 programme people IN THE FIRST MEET, is really really it came together. Addi Lawrence was added successful in spot of Kaia during nan two-minute touch period, and she shined truthful bright, earning a magnificent 9.90, tying her profession high. That double backmost dismount was *chef’s kiss* and favourite chap gym workfellow Nate Salsman noticed that nan past clip she scored a 9.90 she ALSO was added to nan lineup past minute. Can you opportunity CLUTCH?!?

When Nate asked astir this, Addi referenced nan aforementioned extent of nan squad that I quoted up top, while besides stating really thankful she was for nan coaches trusting her. “I’m very thankful that nan coaches spot me, and I spot nan coaches to beryllium capable to make those switches around, and to yet do what’s champion for nan day. So yeah, I was very happy to beryllium capable to compete today, but also, if it wasn’t my day, past I’d beryllium supporting everyone else.”

Aside from Addi’s slayer leadoff, here’s really it went. Graduate student Lauren Macpherson, competing successful her first meet for nan Tigers aft an wounded year, earned an unthinkable 9.875, earlier Rayna Light was a large overly fierce connected 1 of her past handstands and came disconnected nan precocious bar. Outside of that, from my vantage constituent 10 miles distant (lol), I thought she looked really solid, though nan CGN Live Blog did statement she had a spot of limb separation connected her Maloney to Pak salto. Needing to beryllium free of that 9.25 score, H2 delivered, arsenic her legs were GLUED together passim her routine, and that double layout was instrumentality straight, earning her nan arena title and a superb 9.925. Kimarra was next, officially showcasing Mizzou’s first Markolov/Khorkina precocious barroom merchandise — it was fabulous — and earning an unthinkable 9.90. In nan anchor spot, competing successful her first meet successful nan achromatic & gold, Illinois transportation Makayla Green had a really bully 9.85, complete pinch a stuck double layout (CGN again reported immoderate limb separation connected that Maloney to Pak salto). Competing exhibition, Maiya Terry earned a 9.80 successful her first collegiate routine. Her full-in dismount was a spot debased successful nan thorax and she took a mini measurement forward, but awesome activity wide from nan freshman successful her first of 2 events connected nan day.

Iowa State rebounded connected vault, earning a 48.525 rotation score, pinch Aubree Guinee earning nan Cyclone’s champion people pinch a 9.775 connected her Yurchenko Full. Sgarbossa and Haylee Hardin besides earned 9.725 scores, connected a Yurchenko Full and Yurchenko Half-On Front Pike, respectively.

After 2: Mizzou leads 98.650 to 95.575.

While nan “Beam Dream Team” TM wasn’t each sunshine and rainbows connected Sunday afternoon, it has nan imaginable to beryllium an perfectly masterful lineup, and started retired crazy good, pinch a career-high tying 9.90 from Amy Wier successful nan leadoff spot, followed by a 9.90 from L-Mac, competing successful her first beam regular for nan Tigers. Kaia had immoderate trouble, popping disconnected nan beam connected her backmost handspring-layout stepout and had a ample wobble connected her beforehand toss, earning conscionable a 9.00 that would beryllium dropped, but RJ rebounded nicely pinch a coagulated 9.875 (the CGN blog noted her bully divided positions). Kimarra honestly looked shaky from nan get-go coming retired of her afloat turn, and past came disconnected nan beam connected her BHS BHS LOSO triple series. She vanished nan remainder of nan routine, however, without issue, conscionable a mini hop backmost connected her double afloat dismount, earning a 9.15.

After going each of past twelvemonth without counting a miss, it was a spot sad to person it travel to an extremity truthful early connected this season, but I person zero doubts astir this beam rotation moving forward, arsenic Addi shined successful nan anchor position and stuck her 1.5 dismount cold, earning an unthinkable 9.95, tying her champion people from past year. In nan accumulation spot, Olivia Kelly was a spot disconnected nan mark, almost coming disconnected nan beam aft her broadside aerial, but nailed some her double wolf move and a 1.5 twist dismount, earning a 9.725 (more connected her astatine nan end; she’s not 100% currently).

On nan Cyclone side, Hardin, nan anchor, and Ella Schell, nan leadoff, led nan scoring, bringing successful a 9.90 and 9.825, respectively, connected floor.

After 3: Mizzou leads 147.400 to Iowa State’s 143.550.

I didn’t deliberation I’d tear up astatine nan first meet of nan twelvemonth — I’m specified a sap, y’all — but my god, watching Ayla Acevedo, my favourite bespectacled Mizzou gymnast, yet get a changeable astatine a collegiate regular aft a twelvemonth of moving difficult down nan scenes and spot her sound it retired of nan f’ing parkland pinch that 9.90? It made maine each sorts of teary-eyed. When her teammates rushed nan level erstwhile she vanished her routine? SO SWEET.

“It made my heard truthful happy,” Addi said erstwhile asked astir nan team’s guidance to her performance. “Because I cognize really overmuch activity she has put in, and really overmuch activity we put successful arsenic a squad each day. Like, she was present each past twelvemonth and successful nan summer, she worked her butt disconnected and truthful for her to beryllium successful lineups, and past imaginable for lineups and different events too, ohio my gosh.”

Hannah echoed this sentiment, saying, “Let maine conscionable opportunity you tin spot nan maturation from her freshman twelvemonth to now, and it’s like, wow, you person been putting successful nan activity and you’ve been trusting everything. I’m truthful proud of her. My bosom was virtually like, ‘Oh, Ayla!’”

Aside from Ayla’s awesomeness, ET reclaimed her leadoff spot successful nan Fab Floor from a twelvemonth agone and earned a overmuch deserved 9.90 (she was low-balled truthful overmuch past twelvemonth successful nan leadoff spot, you guys). Up 3rd was Kaia pinch her ace nosy Hamilton-themed routine, earning a 9.85 (she sewage 1 9.90). There are truthful galore nosy elements to this regular that you conscionable request to watch it yourself. I emotion nan taking nan crown disconnected to start, and I LOVE nan small crawling spot earlier laying down and shushing everyone astatine nan very end. So fun. Hannah followed pinch a showstopping 9.925 connected her Tyler, nan Creator themed routine, and her double layout was talked astir each complete the gymternet. Here are my notes for this routine: “Holy shit. So good.” That’s all.

When asked astir nan caller routine, which features a marque caller E-skill DLO, she said, “Tyler, nan Creator really has been a apical 5 for maine since 2020 truthful I deliberation being capable to definitive myself, and for illustration listening to thing I really really love, it’s conscionable benignant of easy to get grooving, and Jackie’s an astonishing choreographer and coach and each of nan above. So it was conscionable really nosy to perceive her ideas and like, bounce disconnected each other.”

Kimarra was up next, and her showmanship is really awesome; you tin show she loves performing. While location were immoderate issues successful nan regular and she earned conscionable a 9.75, there’s nary uncertainty this will beryllium an astonishing capacity erstwhile she settles successful a spot and gets nan landings. To adjacent retired nan rotation, we were treated to Queen Bey KG, who showed disconnected her signature flair and high-flying tumbling pinch a bully 9.875 successful nan anchor spot (she was a spot short connected nan double back). In nan accumulation slot, Maiya again earned a 9.800, and I conscionable I emotion her routine. The team’s 49.450 was a bully commencement to nan season, and matched nan bars score. It besides places nan Tigers atop nan nationalist rankings, up of Rutgers’ 49.175 going successful week 2.

On nan Cyclone side, Guinee, who performed successful exhibition, really earned nan highest people pinch a 9.775, but of nan counting scores, some Hardin and Lauren O’Brochta earned 9.70 scores.

After 4: Mizzou takes this 1 emphatically, 196.85 to 191.325.

The inferior is disconnected to a phenomenal start, taking nan title (co-title connected vault) successful each 3 of her events, earning a 9.875 connected vault, 9.925 connected bars and 9.925 connected floor. Her capacity was a point of beauty, and I cannot hold to spot really this play goes for H2. Amari chimed successful connected twitter that she’s connected 10 watch for aggregate events, and I wholeheartedly agree.

Of her performance, Hannah said, “I of people was a small nervous, but honestly, you conscionable person to spot successful nan practice, for illustration starring up to this week feels rather good, consistent. I conscionable trusted successful my work, and honestly, I conscionable remembered really I did starring up to this preseason and past week, I sewage this. So really conscionable gladsome and grateful that I was capable to compete connected it coming and lend to nan squad and stuff.

It’s difficult to judge that this was technically LMac’s first charismatic meet successful nan achromatic & gold, arsenic she spent past play rehabbing her achilles. She had a awesome meet, earning a 9.875 connected bars and a 9.90 connected beam.

“It was truthful awesome to spot Lauren Macpherson, right?” Shannon said afterwards. “I mean, that it’s been astatine slightest a year, right? Or a twelvemonth and a half… She lit it up tonight… She was coagulated connected 2 events correct there.”

We’ve already talked astir her last-minute summation to nan bars rotation, stepping successful past infinitesimal and tying a profession precocious 9.90, but what astir that unthinkable 9.95 to adjacent retired nan beam rotation connected a beardown note?

“This shows nan imaginable for what nan remainder of nan play tin have, and not conscionable for me, but for nan squad arsenic well,” Addi said. “We started like, 3 leadoffs pinch 9.90 scores, truthful we’re each hitting up that people level, and it conscionable makes maine truthful excited… I’m truthful excited for this elder twelvemonth for myself, and past besides conscionable nan imaginable we person for nan squad arsenic well.”

Talking pinch my astir trusted chap gymthusiasts, Nate and Claire, we noticed that not capable group are talking astir this fact— Mizzou sits no. 2 successful nan state aft Week 1, conscionable 0.125 down nan no. 1 team, UCLA, who scored a 196.975 connected Saturday. That’s cool capable successful itself and their highest ever ranking successful immoderate week; but see this. They were that adjacent to taking nan apical spot for nan week WHILE COUNTING A FALL That is conscionable insane, y’all.

Eight of nan Tigers’ 24 routines, aliases 33%, were 9.90 scores aliases higher, which is conscionable an unthinkable measurement to commencement nan season. If you facet successful nan 9.875 scores, which intends that astatine slightest 1 judge awarded a 9.90, that’s 4 more, 0r 12/24. THAT’S HALF THEIR ROUTINES.

“There are ever things you tin activity connected arsenic you spell through, you know, a small spot of consistency, obviously, connected being correct there, erstwhile you do a small amended occupation connected that end,” Shannon said. “As we move onto Nebraska, I deliberation we’ll spot Olivia Kelly will beryllium backmost connected possibly immoderate much events moving forward. She conscionable wasn’t rather emotion 100% truthful we’ll get her backmost there…”

On nan scheme moving onto Nebraska, which — SURPRISE! — is now a quad meet pinch UW-Stout and UW-LaCrosse, “We’ll watch nan video tomorrow [Monday], and past benignant of spell from location and conscionable fig retired wherever we tin get a small spot better… We’ve sewage a mates of coagulated practices, and past we’ve sewage to get connected nan roadworthy complete to nan Cornhuskers.”

Who’s excited for this season? Stay tuned for much, overmuch much from maine this season. It’s going to beryllium different 1 for nan history books, I conscionable cognize it.